OP3 Interlues: Forgotten Pasts
by Eva McGregor
Summary: Malcolm Reed travels back in time to help Xander and Riley change the past from becoming a Demon occupation on Earth Compleat
1. Prologue

Interlude: Forgotten Pasts  
  
Eva McGregor  
  
Part: 3/5 1/1  
  
A Buffy the Vampire Slayer/ Star Trek: Enterprise crossover AU  
  
Summery: Malcolm Reed is thrown back in time to help stop an event from changing his future.  
  
Pairing: X/R/M non-slash  
  
Rated: PG-13 because I say so.  
  
Disclaimer: Recovering XanderSpikeoholic, I swear! Nothing to see here. does anyone else think Malcolm's cute? Don't you think as armory officer he should get to fight Hellmouthy demons too? Err.where was I? Buffy is owned by Joss. Lt. Reed and other Star Trek personnel are owned by their masters. All OC characters are owned by me. Duh!  
  
Notes 1: This story is an Interlude meaning it has direct affect on the Ordinary People plot line. This story can stand alone or with something else, just follow notes 2 & 3 for further instruction.  
  
Notes2: (Do these notes seem to be getting longer?) For Buffy: Spike is Xander's real father, Xander's real name is Alexander Andrew Stone, there is no Anya, Oz left sorry, Tara is not long in coming, Riley meets Xander and Spike before Buffy thus the Initiative never gets Spike. Xander's eyes are still Hazel!  
  
Notes 3: For Enterprise: This version is based loosely on the events that might have followed the Nov. 6, 2002 episode, all episodes after are not part of this AU. And it seems Malcolm Reed is a little more excepting of demons then he should be.  
  
Dedicated to Terri, the Crossover Queen  
  
Now back to your un-regularly scheduled AU  
  
***  
  
Interlude: Forgotten Pasts  
  
Prologue  
  
"The storms commin' really fast cap'n," Commander Tucker shouted over the howling wind, "If we don't seek shelter soon none of us are going to survive."  
  
"Malcolm's still out there!" Captain Archer shouted back, "We can't leave him!"  
  
Trip shook his head, "I wasn't sayin' leave 'em Jon, but what if he's already got shelter? There's no way we can go lookin' anyway."  
  
"We'll stay close," Jon finally shouted back, "If he's out here we can grab him."  
  
Trip nodded and they retreated into the cavern, it wasn't much shelter but it did it's duty and kept the electricity in the air away from them.  
  
"How long until the storm passes?" Jon asked pressing himself against the far wall next to his engineer.  
  
"Last estimated time. thirteen hours." Trip said, "It could be longer."  
  
Captain Archer nodded, "Then we'll just have to hope Malcolm made it to shelter alright."  
  
***  
  
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed scraped along the cliff face desperately trying to reach the cave opening just above him in time. He could already see the magnetic field the storm was causing as it neared him. He could only hope the others had reached shelter in time.  
  
Hand over hand Malcolm moved quickly barely making it inside as the storm hit and electricity filled the air. Malcolm scrambled as far into the cave as he could before collapsing to the ground.  
  
***  
  
He groaned opening gritty eyes as he realized vaguely that at some point he must have lost consciousness. He had no idea how long he had been out, but if he had to judge he would guess it was at least sever or eight hours.  
  
Carefully he picked himself up off the ground brushing himself off and inspected any damages that had been caused. Very little damage had been done although Malcolm wouldn't be wearing his uniform ever again if he had any say in it. Uniforms were annoying anyway.  
  
With a curiosity Mal had not felt since he was a child he made his way to the entrance of the cave. He couldn't get to close, but as close as he was he had a very good view of the storm raging outside. It was a wonder, a sight he had read described by the Sci-Fi writer of a time when even the thought of warp and traveling deep space had been an idea on a writer's paper.  
  
False clouds streamed across the sky emitting long legs of lighting seeming to walk the very earth. Malcolm had always loved lighting when he was younger, even from the large cities of England. This one was no different, just more deadly; this lighting not only struck twice but sought out anything that moved.  
  
If the others hadn't found shelter they wouldn't have survived very long in the storm. Losing Captain Archer and Commander Tucker would be a sad day for Starfleet one that would impact many people, himself included.  
  
But he wasn't going to think about that. He was going to stand here in his temporary prison and watch the storm.  
  
A low growl resounded behind him and Malcolm froze. Slowly he turned around to meet his cell partner and jumped back startled as he caught sight of the wolf like creature. Unfortunately that meant he jumped out of the only protective cover he had. Just as fast he was pummeled by the electrical current in the air.  
  
Malcolm staggered a little as a moment of disorientation washed over him and he was momentarily blind. When his vision cleared he gasped in surprise to find himself in a cemetery not unlike one of the old cemeteries back on Earth. But this was impossible Earth was a few million light years away. Surely he was still on the planet and the storm had just unearthed this place.  
  
.or something like that.  
  
Malcolm didn't recall it being so dark.  
  
Suddenly a creature appeared out of the shadows and lunged at him. Malcolm was caught off guard and had little time to break his fall as he and the fanged creature fell to the ground.  
  
The thing looked humanoid; yet had a ridged brow, yellow eyes, and sharp fangs it was currently trying to lodge them in the armory officer's neck. Malcolm struggled using all of his knowledge to fight but was still over powered by the things greater strength.  
  
Then suddenly the thing vanished in a cloud of dust momentarily blinding him. When the dust cleared Malcolm found himself starring at a kid in his late teens holding a sharp piece of wood.  
  
"You know it's not safe to be out at night in Sunnydale," the teen said "Course obviously you're not from around here."  
  
"No I guess I'm not." Malcolm agreed, "Where is here?"  
  
"Sunnydale, California," the boy said taking in Malcolm's uniform. "US of A, North America.Earth?"  
  
Malcolm's eye bulged, "Good lord what year is it?"  
  
The teen suddenly smiled broadly, "Welcome to the year two- thousand twenty- nine."*  
  
*Special note: I know I said it was year 2000 but I felt more time needed to pass. 


	2. Chapter One

Interludes: Forgotten Pasts  
  
Chapter One  
  
Sunnydale 2000  
  
"I can't believe he left," Willow told her best friend as both idly walked to class. "Oz was doing so well, why would he leave?"  
  
"Wills," Xander said calmly tapping his cane on the pavement. "You know Oz has been having problems containing his inner wolf even when the moon wasn't full. He'll come back when he's ready."  
  
"But what if he doesn't!" Willow complained, "What if he never comes back."  
  
"I don't know," Xander admitted, "But I know you'll over come it."  
  
***  
  
2029  
  
Xan glanced at the grave stone and sent a small prayer that his friend wasn't here to see what life had become. Quietly he said goodbye to her for the thousandth time and turned his attention back to the man in the strange uniform.  
  
He was human there was no doubt about that, if his English hadn't proven that his scent certainly did. Humans had a particular smell to them, one that Xander had learned to identify over the years. At least since the disaster that made humans a precious commodity.  
  
He was also not from here- this time period or even this Realm- that much was evident from the surprise and strange uniform. Well and the fact that no human or demon had entered or left Sunnydale in Twenty-nine years.  
  
"And who might you be Traveler?" Xan asked good humouredly giving the man a good once over.  
  
"Lieutenant Malcolm Reed of the Starship Enterprise NX-01" the young man said in a near salute.  
  
"Year?" Xander asked offhandedly.  
  
"2152."  
  
Xander whistled, "Well let me be the first to say, this ain't it."  
  
"Obviously," Malcolm said, "But Ummm.. Sunnydale? California?"  
  
"Oh yeah good old Sunnyhell, land of the free reign demons and very few humans." He shrugged a little, "Not that many humans are left at all."  
  
"What do you mean not very many humans left?" Malcolm asked. "Your human aren't you?"  
  
"Err. no." Xander said, "Very much of the not human, actually I know very few humans, they aren't aloud to mingle with the.uh.non-human people."  
  
"What are you might I ask?" Malcolm said.  
  
"Vampire.just not." Xander said looking around, "Speaking of the dead, umm I'm sure a grave yard is not the place to discuss this stuff."  
  
"I suppose not." Malcolm agreed.  
  
Xander smiled, "Common outside isn't all that safe day or night, but it tends to be worse during the day. And I'm sure you have a ton of questions, I know I do."  
  
"Yes I do," Malcolm agreed, "Starting with how did this happen?"  
  
Xander sighed. "Common, sun rise is in an hour."  
  
With that he turned and walked away without watching if the 'Space man' was following. The young man of course followed, Xander didn't blame him, he would have followed too.  
  
"I tell you now, Lieutenant." Xander started walking threw the ruin city. "All that you see you've probably never heard of in your history, because I'm betting this never happened, or at least wasn't supposed to happen."  
  
"I'd have to agree with you there," Malcolm said, "Although history says there was a war about this time, according to what I know it was just starting, and wouldn't progress for another twenty years."  
  
Xander nodded, "So the Seers tell us." He turned to face the other man, "Ok but there is still something you need to know."  
  
"What would that be?"  
  
"Err.'The Demons Pecking Order'.Ummm see as a human, your like a house cat in the best of times and dinner at the worst. So don't go anywhere alone and don't stare at the demons and, and umm. well you get the picture don't you?"  
  
"Yes I think I do," Malcolm said, "Basically I'm your prisoner."  
  
"Would you rather be dinner?" Xander asked, "'Cause that can be arranged too."  
  
Malcolm shook his head, "That's quite alright; I've had worse prison experiences."  
  
Xander grinned, "Get in trouble a lot or just plan piss off new cultures?"  
  
"Both," Malcolm replied. "Misunderstandings are common things when dealing with those you've never seen."  
  
"You remind me a lot of my dad," Xander said, then frowned. "They all died you know, my friends, my family. The only one I have left is technically dead. They've been gone a long time and the only reason I can't join them is because I'm too important to die."  
  
"That must be hard." Malcolm said.  
  
Xander shrugged, "Yeah well I've had twenty-nine years to get used to it." He snorted, "I guess I'm as much a prisoner as you."  
  
"Well that takes most of the resentment away." Malcolm commented.  
  
"Ha, bloody, ha" Xander said dryly, "You so make my day with the Brit humor."  
  
Malcolm looked at him in confusion. "That was humor?"  
  
"It's the only British humor I know," Xander said with a shrug, "Unless you count my dad, but his was more on the morbid side."  
  
"Oh," Malcolm said, "How did this all happen?"  
  
Xander frowned, "Here we are," he said ignoring the question for the second time, "Just stick close and don't say or look at anyone not human and you should get through just fine."  
  
Malcolm frowned at the door but nodded, "I understand."  
  
Xander nodded and opened the door ushering Malcolm inside before entering himself closing the door with a loud bang.  
  
***  
  
2000  
  
"I got the last box right here, G-man, where do you want it?" Xander asked caring a large box into the Magic Box, Giles' new store.  
  
"Must I insist you not call me that?" Giles asked from his place stacking boxes.  
  
Xander smiled brightly. "Would you rather I use on of Dads nicknames for you?"  
  
Giles visibly winced and turned to the annoying child. "It's bad enough I can't do anything about Spike being your father, but do you have to be so happy about it?"  
  
Xander smiled wider, "Uh-huh"  
  
Giles groaned and muttered something in another language.  
  
Xander mocked shock, "Mr. Rupert Giles you don't really think that do you?"  
  
Giles glared, "I most certainly do, now off with you. You can put the box down on the counter. Go bother Angel or something."  
  
Xander smiled happily and set the box marked 'danger' gently on the counter and skipped out of the shop right into Riley. Seconds later they were gone.  
  
Giles just shook his head and went back to re-shelving books.  
  
***  
  
"By the way my names Xander," the brunette said as they walked down a long tunnel of stairs, "You can call me Xan if you want, everyone else does."  
  
Malcolm noted the sorrow in the boy's voice, "You don't sound like you wish I called you Xan."  
  
Xander shrugged, "old memories." He said sadly, "my dad always called me Xan, so everyone else does. It's really no big deal."  
  
Malcolm smiled a little, "Well I must say, for one who is not human, you certainly act like one, Xander"  
  
Xander glanced back with a smile, "Why thank you Mr. Reed. I happen to be half human."  
  
"Half-human and half-vampire," Malcolm murmured, "that would make you a Diamphire?"  
  
Xander nodded, "Only I don't have the demon or the bloodlust, so I'm human with vampire perks.or vampire with human perks?"  
  
"Right," Malcolm comments and they keep walking.  
  
Silence descends and Malcolm takes in his surroundings noting that even though the halls seem devoid of any life, it was apparent they weren't. Shadows moved when he wasn't directly looking at them and whispering could be heard all around. The little he could hear of it that was English was always the same 'it's a new one' and 'it's a human'.  
  
Every once in a while Xander would look at the shadows and all would go silent until he turned his attention back to his walking.  
  
Malcolm sighed, what ever all of this was he was sure this was not his past. An alternate reality was not out of the consideration of what this was, but if this was as his past was he sure as hell wanted to know what happened.  
  
Or something like that. His head hurt every time he tried to think.  
  
They stopped abruptly at what seemed to be two boyish looking heavily armed guards. Xander regarded them with a mild glare.  
  
"Wot's ta password." One of the guards said in an equally boyish voice.  
  
"Does your master know you're out here?" the boy asked in a condescending tone.  
  
"'Course," the guard answered smoothly.  
  
"Ooo, Zang looky Xan has an 'uman" the other guard said poking his mate. "Ooo Xanny can we keep 'em? We'll take care of 'em this time promise!"  
  
"Yeah!" Zang exclaimed, "Me an' Zong will take good care of 'em!"  
  
Zang and Zong turned sad eye on Xander, "Pweeze?"  
  
The hazel eyed brunette smiled sweetly and Malcolm's head lifted in alarm as it seemed he was going to be given away to lord knew what.  
  
"My pet," Xan said happily grabbing Zong and moved him out of the way.  
  
"Aww," the two wined.  
  
"None of that," Xander chide, "Come pet."  
  
"Yes master," Malcolm said softly and obediently followed.  
  
Once out of sight Xander turned and gave him an apologetic smile, Mal was hesitant to return one of his own.  
  
They traveled down two move levels then abruptly came to a halt at a door seemingly made of stone. Xander drew an interesting symbol on the doors surface and watched it open of its own accord. Malcolm was ushered in quickly and Xan closed the door behind them with a loud hollow sound.  
  
The dimly lit room reminded him vaguely of some old houses he had seen out in the grasslands of North America. There was a stairwell to the left and a hall to the right. The room they stood in was like a small waiting room, not meant for much more than waiting for the Master of the House to come greet his guest.  
  
Although Malcolm figured Xander was the master and he was anything but the guest. He had been called a pet and humans had been referenced as pets.  
  
How bad it had to be if the dominate species of a planet almost over night becomes another species 'house cat'"  
  
"The 'yes master' thing was a little much." Xander commented from his position against the door, "I mean I don't even call Riley 'master'"  
  
"Better safe then sorry," Malcolm commented. "Who's Riley?"  
  
Xander smiled innocently, "My master?"  
  
Malcolm raised an eyebrow.  
  
Xander let out a big puff of breath. "Ok, he's not really my master. He was my friend before he was turned. We do the 'pretend to be submissive' to make the Big and Bad happy."  
  
Mal blinked. Blinked again, blinked a third time and went cross-eyed. "Could you possibly say that in English?"  
  
The boy groaned. "Riley was human, he was made into a vampire, he pretends to be my master so the bigger demons will leave me alone." He said as if talking to a child.  
  
"That's what I thought you said."  
  
With a growl the hazel eyed boy shot to his feet pushing the armory officer toward the stairs. Malcolm complied with him only because the sudden malice in the boys eyes reminded him of a few people he remembered never to tick off.  
  
Mayweather when he was piloting the shuttle pod for one.  
  
He was lead up a flight of stairs and down another long hall before Xander stopped at a large wooden door- how one got wooden doors and carpeted halls underground was anyone's guess. The door opened under the boys hand to reveal the most lavish bedroom Malcolm had ever seen.  
  
"This will be your room," Xander said calmly, "There is a bathroom to the left, closet with cloths to the right. I don't suggest you wander out of it for now."  
  
"Thank you," Malcolm said sincerely walking into his prison.  
  
Xander smiled ever so slightly. "You best get some sleep. We will talk more when dusk comes."  
  
Malcolm nodded watching as the boy shut the door. On the other side he could hear the boy turn to leave without locking the door. It showed great trust and put Malcolm's mind at ease. This wasn't really a prison, but it still might be wise to stay put. At least until he was more familiar with this place.  
  
He might not be a prisoner, but that didn't mean everything out there was friendly.  
  
***  
  
Riley shut the large concrete door gently absently reading some file the new magistrate had made up. It was all very interesting and informative out lining the need for human breeding grounds to make more 'cattle' for the vamp and demons population.  
  
Riley snorted. This one wasn't going to last long. Saceros would never allow the breeding of humans, to much was at stake. And obviously Magistrate Kalic was a young demon if he didn't remember what happened the last time a breeding program had been made. Good thing he and Xander had figured being officially mated was the best way to keep both of them alive. Especially since Xander had only been twenty-one when the majority of the humans had been.sent to a better place.  
  
Now breeding of humans and the making of Child and Minions was strictly monitored.  
  
Riley stopped abruptly outside one of the bedrooms not in use. He tilted his head to the side listening to the distinct sound of even breathing and a slow steady heartbeat. If he wasn't mistaken there was someone asleep in there. That someone wasn't Xander.  
  
Slowly he pushed open the unlocked door and peered inside taking a second to adjust to the darkness. In the center of the bed lay a human male, a young one at that. He was older then Xander looked, but then again everyone looked older then the Diamphire so that didn't tell him much.  
  
Riley carefully shut the door without rousing their guest and made his way down the hall to Xander's bedroom. As expected the boy was asleep cocooned in heavy blankets on top of the large bed. How Xander didn't smother himself Riley had yet to figure out. Carefully he made his way to the bed, stared at the peacefully sleeping face, then smiled evilly as he bent down and sharply smacked the boys rear-end.  
  
It got the desired affect in a startled yelp and a massive struggle to extract from bedclothes. Mixed in was a tempting selection of curses and threats with just a dab of interesting phrases. Riley was tempted to find out who exactly was teaching the boy things.  
  
"What do you want blood breath!" the boy spat out once he was able to move without much hindrance.  
  
"Oh you know the usual," Riley said conversationally. "World dominance, better food, who the human sleeping down the hall is."  
  
Xander groaned and hid his face under his pillow. "Can we talk about this tomorrow?"  
  
"No," Riley said, "Get up."  
  
"Oh common." Xander complained, "I spent all night hunt-"  
  
"You what!" Riley yelled his demons visage coming to the surface.  
  
Xander squirmed away as the vampire made a grab for him. "I spent the night humming. yeah humming, no hunting here, nuh-uh no way."  
  
"Come here." Riley growled.  
  
"Ummm no?" Xander asked innocently making a dash for the door.  
  
"Xander!" Riley yelled running after the boy. Xander knew that hunting, vampires and demons was forbidden. Even just to save a humans life, or even his life. Hunting was illegal by punishment of death.  
  
"I didn't do anything wrong." Said over his shoulder shutting the door to another bedroom in Riley's face. "He's not one of us, he's alone."  
  
Riley stopped his attempt to break down the door. "What did you say?"  
  
"He's not from our time Ri," Xander said just in the vampires hearing level, "I saw it, he just appeared. I just couldn't."  
  
"Xander, open the door." Riley said firmly but calmly shifting back into his human guise. Slowly the door opened and Xander looked at him wearily. Riley was sure the boy had hunted a lot over the last few years, but this was the first time he had admitted to it, the vampire didn't fault him, but the law was the law and if the boy was ever caught he would have no chose but to end his life.  
  
Laws sucked under demons rule.  
  
"Are you going to turn me in?" Xander asked in a small voice.  
  
Riley shook his head and brought the boy into a tight embrace. "You have to be careful Xander." His said into his mates hair, "I don't agree with the laws either, but it wont do us any good to see you dead. We'll figure out how to correct all of this and I'd like to have you there when we do."  
  
Xander pulled away a little and smiled slightly, "We will find away, the others would be proud of us."  
  
"That's right," Riley agreed, "Now go back to bed, we will go through the books tomorrow."  
  
Xander nodded and walked down the hall vanishing into his own room. Riley watched him and sighed slightly. Behind him he could here a slight shuffling behind another bed room door. He figured their guest had heard everything, but there was little Riley could do about that now.  
  
There was little he could do now.  
  
***  
  
2000  
  
Buffy and Spike were bickering again.  
  
They never bickered about anything worth anything, but it had become so much of a habit they were hard pressed to change it. It gave them a sense of familiarity that spoke volumes about their friendship. It also showed just how much alike they really were, but would never admit to. At least not in public.  
  
Xander figured today it was about who did what on patrol, or who went where. No one was ever too sure.  
  
"Do they know what they are arguing about?" Sam asked watching the Slayer and the vampire fighting.  
  
"Do we ever know?" Riley asked in return.  
  
"Willow?" Spike suddenly asked catching a glimpse of the red head reading something from a suspicious book, "Are you casting a spell?"  
  
Willow looked up from the corner and looked guilty for a split second before her resolve face settled over her features and she closed the book.  
  
"Uh-huh," Spike said then turned to leave, "Xander, home by midnight."  
  
"Cool," Xander said.  
  
Spike rolled his eyes and walked out the door.  
  
With a grin Xander hopped on the counter just in time for Giles to walk in. "Xander do get off of the counter."  
  
The boy stuck his tongue out at the Ex-Watcher and jumped off the counter. "Gee G-man lighten up."  
  
"I will not as you say 'lighten up'" Giles said snidely, "Now unless any of you have something to do here. Off with you."  
  
Buffy scrunched up her face in disgust at some of the things around her to sell, retrieved Willow and left without a word. Sam smiled shyly and made his way behind the counter to wait the long boring hours for a customer. Xander didn't envy him in the least.  
  
"So Ri?" Xander said leading the blond out the door "Bronze tonight?"  
  
"How bout a movie?" Riley suggested, "We'll throw popcorn at the people that talk during the movie."  
  
"But don't we talk during the movie?" Xander ask innocently as they moved out the door.  
  
Giles shook his head picking up one of the boxes he hadn't seen to open before. Putting the box on a table he opened it carefully. A look of confusion set in as he lifted a small glowing ball in his hands.  
  
"What's that?" Sam asked from behind the counter.  
  
"I don't know," Giles said. Suddenly the ball flashed brightly, blinding the Ex-Watcher. He flinched back moving his arm to shield his eyes.  
  
He never noticed the ball fall toward the ground. 


	3. Chapter Two

Interludes: Forgotten Pasts  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Sunnydale 2001  
  
"You have to help me Willow," Riley said from his prison.  
  
"That's what I'm trying, if you'll just shut up!" Willow growled finishing putting the rest if the ingredients together. "Just be quiet."  
  
Riley dutifully stayed silent as he watched the young witch cast her spell. He felt the pain as the spell took hold of him, felt the creature within fight the invasion that was coming. Then it was over, the soul he had lost over a year ago settled into power over his demon.  
  
The vampire breathed hard his face smoothing over as he controlled what he couldn't before. He felt better, more human, at least more able to help those he had sworn to help.  
  
"Thank you," he panted watching the young witch get up off the floor. "Come on we have to get out if here before the others get hurt."  
  
Willow nodded slightly and moved toward the book locker, keys in hand. "That was a lot harder then when I restored Angel." She said, "I guess the permanent anchor does that."  
  
Riley smiled a little, "Hurt enough to know I never want to go through that again."  
  
Willow smiled a little and inserted the key in the lock. Riley stepped back to let her swing the door open.  
  
The sound of glass braking glass startled them both. Willow spun around to peer in the dim light of the abandoned library. Riley sniffed the air and growled. "Willow, get the door open."  
  
Willow turned startled eyes on him as he started to bang against the door. "W-what is it?"  
  
"Please open the door," Riley begged. "I don't know what it is, but you have to open the door. What ever it is I know it's bad."  
  
Willow nodded and turned to key in the lock.  
  
Then the shadows started to move and things from the deepest hell appeared behind the unsuspecting witch. Riley let out a fearful exclamation, to late. Willow screamed as taloned hands grabbed her from behind dragging her into the darkness. Riley banged against the metal door to no avail, it was still locked with the key nearly turned just enough.  
  
Then all he could hear was Willows screams.  
  
***  
  
Some where in Southern California 2029  
  
The demon walked down the street in silence. Behind it a young human tethered to a strong cord followed, his head lowered a sign of defeat on his features. This was the demons new pet, broken for its pleasure, meant to be shown to its guests at parties. This human was a lovely one that was for sure, ex-military if it judged right. Military was so fun to break.  
  
Tonight was a special gala event, one that the city leader was holding for an anniversary or something. It didn't matter, anything to show off the new pet.  
  
The new pet that just stopped walking.  
  
"Come pet," the demons ordered tugging on the cord. The human didn't move. "I said come."  
  
The young man lifted his head showing a flash of menacing blue eyes. The demon started as the cord was pulled form its grasp and five uniformed men moved out of the dark.  
  
"What is the meaning of this!" the demon yelled, "I command you to retreat. This is direct violation of the laws!"  
  
Its pet smirked, "No this is called taking back the laws."  
  
The demon growled. The uniformed men laughed a little and pulled out tazers. In seconds the demon was down, a smoking mess. The 'pet' took and ax from his comrade and aimed for his 'masters' head.  
  
"Very good soldier." One of the older men said. "I take it you retrieved the information."  
  
"Yes sir." The young man said.  
  
"Very good," the older man said. "Let's move out, we don't have much time to get back to base."  
  
The others nodded quickly vanishing into the shadows leaving the demon's body to be found in the morning. No trace of there appearance or departure would ever be found by the demons investigators. This was just a random attack.  
  
Not far from where the body lay a silent figure stepped out of the shadows. Blue eyes stared out at the retreating figures in a state of shock and awe. Then suddenly his face broke out into a smile and he whispered to no one in a light baroque. "And so it begins. Thank God."  
  
***  
  
Sunnydale  
  
"Twenty-nine years ago there was an accident." Xander explained in a lecture mode to rival Giles. "Not only did the Hellmouth open but portals to other Hell dimensions opened as well. We didn't actually know anything was seriously wrong until it was too late to stop anything."  
  
"I knew something was wrong." Riley said leaning against a table reading a large book.  
  
"Do you want to tell this blood breath?" Xander growled.  
  
Riley smiled, "Oh no you're doing well, continue."  
  
"As I was saying," Xander emphasized, "Everyone except Riley who couldn't be bothered, didn't know something was wrong 'til it was too late."  
  
"As I recall you knew something was wrong too," Riley interjected, "And Spike, and Sam, and Doyle."  
  
"You not helping lov." Xander said throwing a crumpled paper at the vampire.  
  
"Yes I am." Riley replied calmly, "I'm making sure he knows all the details."  
  
"Does it matter?" the Diamphire asked.  
  
"Do I care?" Riley asked with a smirk.  
  
"You should." Xander said.  
  
"Ummm, Guys?" Malcolm asked trying to forestall the fight that was escalating.  
  
"What?" Both men shouted.  
  
Malcolm smiled. "Is talk of the end of human existence always so."  
  
"Fun?" Riley asked  
  
"Done before?" Xander prompted.  
  
"Worth fighting over details?" Malcolm finished.  
  
Xander and Riley seemed to think that over, "Yes," they both answered.  
  
"Carry on then." Malcolm said leaning back in his chair.  
  
Both men blinked at the mortal then looked at each other. With a shrug Riley chased Xander out of the room and down the hall. Seconds later a loud shriek could be heard then laughter echoed throughout the lair. Malcolm sighed closing his eyes; dealing with both men was like dealing with Trip and T'Pol at the same time.  
  
God he missed them.  
  
With a sigh Malcolm rose from his seat and surveyed the room. It was a gigantic library with floor to ceiling shelves of books mostly very old looking. Most on the lower levels read the same, 'vampires' 'guide to everyday demons' 'spells to use in your kitchen' all held some form of information about what society didn't even know about in his time.  
  
That was kind of odd how even with the technology; Earth had still not discovered vampires and demons. Maybe there was a reason for that, if he ever returned he would be sure to inquire the subject to one of his friends.  
  
Nearly an hour later Xander and Riley returned a little worse for wear, yet both looked like they lost the pillow fight sometime ago and had just now recovered.  
  
"So any questions?" Xander asked gracefully folding himself into a chair.  
  
"Yes." Malcolm said after a moments tought. "How do we stop this from happening?"  
  
Xander and Riley exchanged looked. Raiseing an eyebrow the Damphire looked at Malcolm, a slow smile spreading across his face. "There is a relic, the Gem of Kimera. It is said to be able to fold time, if we can find it and get a hold of it there is a chance we could go back to just before the disaster and stop it from happening."  
  
Malcolm nodded. "How do we find this gem?"  
  
"We don't." Riley said. "It will come to us. Sunnydale is a kind of Holy land to the demons; their main ruling body is in the city. Prador Saceros has sent an expedition to, of all places, Jerusalem to retrieve the Gem of Kimera and bring it here. With any luck we will be able to intercept it and use it before we can be found out or stopped."  
  
"Why not go there yourselves?" Malcolm asked interested now in a new possibility of going home.  
  
"We aren't high enough in the food chain to be allowed out of the city without permission." Xander said. "No one has been in or out of the city in twenty-nine years that wasn't a full blood demon."  
  
Malcolm milled over that for a while. They couldn't leave, but the source of what they needed was coming to them. If and when the past was changed back to what it was suppose to be Malcolm would go back to his own time, hopefully a time that was his own. Just to have that no matter what he thought of the future was worth risking his life and theirs, of only to insure humans would have a future.  
  
Maybe they would let him blow something up as well.  
  
"Anything I can do to help?" Malcolm asked at last.  
  
Xander and Riley smile to one another. "Yeah," Xander answered. "You can learn to survive here, and learn what we are going to need to learn to get into the Prador's palace undetected."  
  
Now it was Malcolm's turn to smile slowly. "Oh I think I know a bit about things like that."  
  
***  
  
Sunnydale 2001  
  
"We have to move now!" Spike shouted shoving Xander out of the door. "Run! I'll be right behind you!"  
  
Xander looked back as if to protest but nodded instead and ran out of the door and down the hall. Only after he was halfway down the stairs did he realize Spike wasn't behind him. In fact he hadn't remembered Sam leaving the apartment either. He would turn back, he should turn back, but Dad had made a promise and he would meet Xander outside with Sam.  
  
He had to.  
  
He had made it outside when the first explosion knocked him to the ground. With a look of horror Xander looked up into the night sky at the bellowing smoke coming from the top of the apartment building. The second and third explosions rocked trough the rest of the building. In minutes the building crumbled to the ground in what could only be a demon made disaster leaving anyone left inside nothing but ashes.  
  
Riley found him a few hours later holding a pile of ashes in his hands. He was in to much shock to cry and barely felt Riley lift him off the ground. All he could see was the building explode with Spike and Sam still inside and all he could here were the words of a father making sure his son would live another day.  
  
***  
  
Sunnydale 2029  
  
Xander woke to someone shaking his shoulders in a manner that suggested the person had been doing so for a while. He didn't want to open his eyes, he didn't want to look into the darkened room and know this was not his home with a father he barely knew but still loved him all the same. He didn't want to be reminded that everyone he knew and loved were dead.  
  
This feeling over came him every time he had that particular nightmare, it didn't help that the one usually to wake him only reminded him of that life that was no more. It wasn't fair to the vampire; he had lost everything just the same.  
  
"Xan." Riley said softly. "C'mon I know you're awake."  
  
"I don't wanna be." Xander mumbled into his pillow.  
  
"I know." Riley said gently. "Wanna talk about it?"  
  
Xander sighed and turned over looking at the vampire he was sure could see him in the dim light. "What's to talk about? It's the same nightmare over and over again. I just wish it were only a nightmare."  
  
"I miss them too." Riley said. "And hopefully if everything goes right, it will only be just another nightmare."  
  
"Oh no I think I don't even want it as a nightmare," Xander said with a growl. "I want it to go away."  
  
Riley sighed and stood walking over to the door pausing just in the doorway. "Don't go out hunting, and keep out guest with you at all times. The others wont take kindly to a human hunting there own and I can't protect you outside of this house."  
  
"Don't worry about me Ri." Xander said. "Worry about that expedition finding the Gem. If they don't we're screwed."  
  
Riley snorted. "We're already screwed."  
  
"Says the guy who hasn't had any in twenty-nine years." Xander joked.  
  
"At least I've had some in the last forty." Riley retorted.  
  
Xander put a hand to his chest. "Ooo that hurt."  
  
Riley shook his head and left the room.  
  
Once he was gone Xander sighed scrubbing a hand over his face before turning on his back to stare at the darkened ceiling. It was always the same, same dream, same memories, same life. No matter the way it was looked at everything was still the same.  
  
Who were they kidding with this plan to stop all of this from happening?  
  
It wasn't like that would help any, eventually it would all happen again. Maybe not in this life or the next twenty, but Xander was sure he would still be alive when it did.  
  
He rubbed his face again, maybe Riley was right, they were screwed no matter what.  
  
With a sigh he untangled himself from his blankets got up and made his way down the hall and to the training room. Humans weren't supposed to be able to fight, but technically he hadn't been human for a while thus had the leeway to learn how to defend himself against humans. Or so Riley had argued to the council when he had the training room installed as a gift to his 'mate'. The one time Xander ever used it now a day was when he needed to think and beat his frustration into something.  
  
Lining up with his target and relaxing until he was in a comfortable fighting stance Xander let his mind clear of everything but his frustration and swung. The first hit missed but the second and third hit its mark until he was beating the stuffing out of the punching bag. He did this repeatedly until he could barely hold up his arms then slumped against the far wall breathing hard. He didn't feel any better but he was pretty sure he could sleep right here and now with out any nightmares.  
  
"You look like a man with a lot of things on his mind." Malcolm said from the door way dressed in a pair of borrowed jeans and a tight tee-shirt. He looked at the punching bag "Or someone with a lot of anger issues."  
  
"A bit of column A, a bit of column B" Xander said with a shrug. "Why are you still up?"  
  
Malcolm shrugged "I'm usually on the late shift, I suppose even on a planet one gets used to it."  
  
Xander nodded his understanding. "Yeah I'm not really used to being awake during the day either; even before all this my nights were normally spent patrolling till dawn." He smiled, "Even then I was constantly getting my ass kicked while my friends saved the day. God I miss them."  
  
Malcolm gave him a sad smile in return. "We will get our friends back," he said with conviction. "Even if we have to make new ones."  
  
The Diamphire gave him a knowing look. "Once this is all over with we will get you back to your own time, even if I have to do it myself."  
  
Malcolm's smile was genuine as he sat next to the other falling into a companionable silence. There would be times in the future they would sit like this all night, two friends without a place in a world that wasn't suppose to be. And in those times they would fight together and learn together all the while making sure they were ready for that one day they would change the world.  
  
***  
  
Mojave Desert  
  
Graham prided himself on being a survivor, one of the few free humans that remembered the time before the Demon Lords and the need to hide to stay alive. He remembered a time when humans were free and it was the demons that hid in the shadows, or that the few demons that didn't were either easily taken care of or fought on the side of good.  
  
Of course he also remembered a time when he aged as well.  
  
Maggie Welsh's experiments had some interesting side affects she had not lived to see, but Graham and Forrest had lived trough it personally. Not only did they live trough it, but that hadn't died or aged in the last twenty-nine years. Many side affects had appeared in all of the solders, some even in their children whom had become that new military front dedicated to taking back their world.  
  
So far that had not been very affective, yet with Matt's information they now had what they needed to get into the very place that would make the difference.  
  
Graham sat sentry outside the compound milling over what all that meant for him. Maggie Welsh, before she died, told Graham that the immortality came with a price. Forever time would have no meaning to him even if they won back Earth; he would watch Earth pass by until it too was only a myth in the pits of space.  
  
Matt's information had rumored a device that could send them back in time before the Hellmouth had opened and all this would never have happened. It was something Graham needed to happen or else he would be stuck in this hell forever. And that wasn't even just a figure of speech.  
  
He also really needed to cut back on the coffee 'cause his brain wasn't thinking.  
  
Suddenly the brush behind him moved and Graham found himself pined to the ground by an angry vampire.  
  
"Are you Graham Miller?" the vampire asked.  
  
"What of it?" Graham growled.  
  
The vampire's demon face dissolved into something Graham recognized all too well.  
  
"Angel?" the immortal commando gasped in surprise.  
  
The soled vampire let out a sigh of relief and let the other go. "Good you remember me." He said conversationally, "You haven't changed much."  
  
"I haven't aged at all." Graham said. "I never will. What can I do for you?"  
  
"I hear you have information that will stop all of this from happening." Angel said as if he had been reading Graham's mind.  
  
"Correct." Graham said.  
  
Angel nodded, "Good because I have a way into Sunnydale. But you have to promise me one thing."  
  
Graham blinked, a way into Sunnydale? But no one had been in there in twenty-nine years, even their plan had to do with a lot of luck. "If it's possible I will do it."  
  
"I will get you and your military people into Sunnydale." Angel said, "But you will leave my grandson to me."  
  
Graham nodded, "I can promise you if he is innocent he will be unharmed, but if he is not on our side I cannot guarantee his life."  
  
"Good enough." Angel said.  
  
"Good," Graham said. "Take me to Sunnydale." 


	4. Chapter Three

Interludes: Forgotten Pasts  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Jerusalem, Israel 2030  
  
The dig was dark and dank even in the hot desert sun, magicked to resemble the dwellings of the workers. The work was slow; most of them were humans, either too old, too weak, or too young to do any of the harder labor the minor demons could. The rest of the workers were lower class demons that had no say in the matter.  
  
Bestar glared into the glum how hard was it to find a little gem? It wasn't like finding its resting place was that hard, they knew exactly were to dig. Yet it had been nearly two years and there was still nothing to show for it. Bestar growled and kicked the nearest worker. If they didn't find something soon he was going to start executing.  
  
As if reading his mind a lone human came running up to him holding something in his hands. Bestar held his urge to lope off the humans' head and waited for it to stop in front of him.  
  
"Master," The human panted holding up the object in his hands as he knelt on the ground. "We have found it."  
  
Bestar growled and snatched the stone out of the human's hands ready to kill it for lying. Yet when he opened his hand to the stone he was sure this was what they had been looking for all along. The gem in his hand glowed a deep blood red, flawless, cut in the shape of an orb. There could be no doubt this was the Gem of Kimera.  
  
"Good," Bestar rasped, drew his sword and killed the human where he knelt, satisfied.  
  
***  
  
Mojave Desert, California  
  
"Listen up." Graham shouted into the din of the meeting room. He waited for the inevitable silence as every soldier in the room settled down for the meeting. Once accomplished he nodded to Forrest whom took his place in front of everyone.  
  
"Alright." Forrest said into the silence. "As all of you well know we have a vampire in out midst who wants things the way they were as much as we do. And you all know the reason why we have agreed to let him help us." He glanced around the room. "It has been a year in the making and now we are ready. Tomorrow we will head out in teams of three. Most of you will converge into the city of Los Angeles; you will vanish into the city and remain there. If this plan fails you will try to get as many people out of that city as possible and find a place to live out your lives."  
  
"The rest of you," Graham continued forestalling any arguments. "Will be assigned to two teams, one will travel to Sunnydale where a contact is waiting to sneak us into the city. The other team will be standing by for further orders. It is important that everyone follow their orders, the success of this mission depends on it."  
  
"Sir?" one of the younger solders asked. "What about our men who are still within Sunnydale?"  
  
"Count them as dead." Angel answered form the shadows. "Prador Saceros made sure any threat to him was eradicated once the demons had control of most of the city. If any of them survived they will only be a shell of their former selves now."  
  
"Then how do you know your grandson is still alive?" the same solder bit out.  
  
Angel stepped out of the shadows right next to the young man. "Because." He said calmly. "Prador Saceros would have kept the only fully human child born from a vampire and a human alive at all costs. To kill the Link of Ages would mean his destruction."  
  
"Listen up as I call your names." Graham said interrupting. "If your name isn't called you will pair up with someone in teams of three and head for Los Angeles." He took out a list. "Michael Liven, Josh Agate, Justin Borne, Harry Marshals, Peter Harris, Daniel Max, Jacob Waters. The rest of you are dismissed."  
  
Everyone but eight men left the main room. Graham met the eyes of Mathew Miller and sighed, "Mathew you are dismissed."  
  
"No," the young man said standing his ground. "I'm not going to hide while you go out and get yourself killed."  
  
"Let him stay," Angel said watching the boy closely. "Someone will need to retrieve Xander and he knows how to get by other demons."  
  
Graham gave the vampire a challenge in glaring; finally he shifted his gaze to the younger Miller. "You will follow your orders to the letter young man, or I will personally send you back here."  
  
Mathew nodded giving his father a solute.  
  
Graham shook his head, "Alright, Jacob, Peter, Josh; you will stay here with the chopper. If we do not return tomorrow you will fly over the Sunnydale and deploy the weapon." The three young men nodded and left the room to get some sleep while they still could. Graham turned to the rest. "The rest of us will meet Angels contact at Sunnydale's city limits. He will get us into the city; from there you will be given orders. Dismissed."  
  
"You shouldn't have given into him." Forrest said once the others were gone. "You know that if we succeed there is a chance he will have the same fate as us."  
  
"I know." Graham said. "But there is the chance he will anyway." He turned to his long time friend. "Beside, in the right timeline I might never get the chance to have him."  
  
Forrest nodded, patted his friends shoulder and left to get ready.  
  
"You will never regret the time you are able to spend with your son." Angel told the young man wistfully then walked away.  
  
"I hope your right." Graham said quietly into the empty room.  
  
***  
  
Sunnydale, California 2001  
  
Riley held Xander close as they stood in the crowd among the demons. The boy had tried to bolt when Buffy and Giles were lead to the podium, yet the vampire refused to let him go, he refused to let Xander have the same fate as the rest of his friends and family. A few others also been lead to the podium as well, people that Riley and Xander didn't know, but figured were some threat to Saceros and his reign over the world.  
  
"Please Riley." Xander whimpered into his ear as the large demon walked onto the podium surveying his captives. Riley caught Buffy's eye and her pleading look for him to keep Xander safe, she knew she would die this day yet as ever thought of others and their safety before hers.  
  
"Shh." Riley said into the boy's ear holding him closer. A few demons gave the pair an odd look, Riley merely mouthed 'new mate' to them and they understood. They only say Xander as a pretty little thing that most likely had no mind past that of a child's, not a good Childer, but that makings of a devoted mate.  
  
At the moment that thought would be true.  
  
Saceros looked over his captives a clawed hand scratching the underside of his chin. "I seem to be missing a little white knight." Riley froze as the demons gaze swept over the crowd and landed on Riley and Xander. "You!" he pointed at the soled vampire. "Bring him to me."  
  
Taking a deep un-needed breath Riley half carried, half dragged Xander to the podium. "My lord." He said in a whisper. "The boy is no threat, the vampire that was his father is dead and the boy has lost his mind."  
  
Saceros growled in warning and took Xander's face in one of his clawed hands making the boy look him in the eye. Riley knew but the surprised look in the demons eyes Saceros knew what the Diamphire was and what his death would mean.  
  
With a hiss the demons threw that boy back into the vampire's arms. "Keep him then." Saceros said and walked to his first sacrifice.  
  
Riley breathed a sigh of relief and carried Xander back into the crowd.  
  
Saceros stopped in front of the Slayer a slight smile playing his lips. "So the Slayer falls." He murmured "You have no idea the pleasure it gives me to see the greatest Slayer to ever live die by my hand. To bad you will be the last Slayer it might have been sporting to hunt each one of you down."  
  
"Oh don't worry too much." Buffy said in defiance. "You will fall by the hand of my kind, mark my words you will not live to see your thirty-first year of reign."  
  
"Oh I doubt you will have any say in that matter much longer." Saceros said taking her by the throat. "In fact you won't be saying much at all." With that he snapped her neck in two.  
  
Riley covered Xander's mouth with his hand to keep the boy from crying out. He hid the boys face in his chest to keep the tears from public view; it wouldn't do to have other demons know that the boy was in control of his mind.  
  
Saceros dropped the Slayers body with a disappointed look. "And I thought that would be harder." He commented electing a laugh from the crowd. He turned to Giles, "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"  
  
"Combust." Was all the Ex-Watcher said before he went up in flames.  
  
Saceros looked impressed, "Well I guess if that was the way he wanted to go."  
  
"Xander Com'on." Riley said nudging the boy. "Let's go." Xander whimpered again and allowed himself to be lead out of the crowd.  
  
And then there were two.  
  
***  
  
Sunnydale, California 2030  
  
Malcolm carefully slid his rope down over the edge of the cut window. If he didn't get the movement right the rope would crash into one of the sensors and alert the guards. Yet if he moved too slowly he would run out of time. Sometimes he wished for more advanced technology.  
  
"Ok that's good." The little voice said in his ear. Xander's cool voice over the mic soothed his nerves a little enough for his to do his job correctly. Carefully Malcolm lowered himself over the edge of the window and lowered himself down the rope.  
  
"Not too fast." Riley's voice cut in, in warning. "The guards are attracted to certain movements."  
  
"It would help if you knew what kind of movements." Malcolm whispered back trough clenched teeth.  
  
"Well that would make burglary too easy wouldn't it?" Riley countered with low amusement.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Malcolm exclaimed as the robe snapped and he fell to the padded ground below.  
  
The lights in the dark room came on and Riley and Xander walked in taking off their head mics. The room in light showed only the work out room Riley had given Xander decked out to resemble part of the Prador's palace. They had been working on this particular plan for months but couldn't seem to get it to work.  
  
"Why dose that keep happening?" Xander asked annoyed helping Malcolm to his feet.  
  
"I still say it's the rope," Malcolm said rubbing his backside. "It just doesn't seem strong enough."  
  
"Maybe you're just to heavy." Riley said earning himself a glare. "No I mean it, we need to have a thin rope but even tough it is strong the closer to the ground you get the less weight it can hold." He looked Xander over. "Xan, you're a skinny rat, you try it."  
  
"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just call me that." Xander growled, but took the broken rope and scaled the small ladder to the fake window.  
  
"Ok," Riley said clapping his hands together, "Lets try this again!"  
  
***  
  
Tunnel Entrance to Sunnydale  
  
"So where is the contact we're suppose to meet?" Graham whispered to the shadow next to him as he glanced back at his fidgeting men.  
  
"We're early." Angel answered for the fifth time. "He'll be here."  
  
Graham sighed moving himself closer the shadowed form of his son. "Ok, lets review what you are to go when we get inside." He whispered feeling the boy roll his eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me Mathew this is important."  
  
"I know," Mathew said with a sigh to match his fathers. "Once I get in there I go with Angel and look for his grandson. Once he's found we head back here, if you don't come back in an hour we are to go to LA." He rolled his eyes again. "I know what I'm doing father, it's not like I haven't before."  
  
"Dose he remind you of someone?" an accented voice said from the shadows. Everyone but Angel and Graham jumped, the former because he know the owner of the voice was there and the latter because long practice kept his still.  
  
"He reminds me very much of Xander, or were you thinking of someone else?" Angel commented dryly as to figures emerged from the shadows.  
  
"No," Doyle drawled. "Xan was who I was thinking of. This the team?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Doyle nodded. "Ok, who comin' with me and who goin' with Giles here?"  
  
An older man stepped out of the shadows burn scares were ever flesh showed, white hair, and a battle axe no one doubted he could use.  
  
"The squirt and I are coming with you." Angel said, "The rest of them are going with Giles."  
  
"Lets go then" Doyle said cheerfully leading them trough the tunnel into the cold Sunnydale air.  
  
"Ok, split up." Graham said. "You have your orders."  
  
Angel and Mathew ignored Graham's orders to the others as they followed Doyle down another path seconds later being melded into the darkness.  
  
***  
  
"This is hopeless," Xander muttered after he too have fallen at a slightly lower height then Malcolm had. "We either need a stronger rope or a new plan. Either way I'm going for a walk."  
  
"Xander." Riley warned quietly, now was not the time to go hunting.  
  
"Just a walk Ri, I need to think." Xander said walking to the door. "I'll be back in an hour."  
  
"You better be!" Riley shouted to the shut door.  
  
Ten minutes later Xander was outside headed for the park most of the 'pets' frequented on warm summer nights. In this city there was less of a chance of being attacked then in some of the other cities. That was only because anyone dieing here had to be cleared if the death was intentional and everyone knew the consequences of breaking that law. The park as expected was empty at this time of night as most of the pets had gone home to their masters or to sleep away another day. It was a dull existence really.  
  
Xander sat on one of the swings gently swaying beck and forth as he thought of the problem with the rope and how they would get inside the Prador's palace. It had already proven that it wouldn't be easy, but that was a given, what they wanted to accomplish was everything Saceros didn't want happening. Security would be even tighter now that the Gem of Kimera had been found, the gods knew how many lower demons and living humans would love to get their hands on it just for the power. Only a hand full of those people would get it to set time right again. It was going to be a close race, and Xander was pretty sure he and Riley were the only ones who knew how to stop all of this from happening again once the time line had be set right. That was the key, to make sure this never happened again. Ever.  
  
Movement to his left caught his attention. For a moment Xander ignored it thinking it was one of the other mates that had spotted a comrade - they being the only ones that would come over here now that Xander was here. Yet when no familiar voice greeted him, he raised his head to find out who had come.  
  
There standing in the soft moon light were two people he thought he knew and one he thought looked similar to someone he knew. But that was impossible because he and Riley had been the only survivors. Yet there they stood, plan as night, waiting for him to acknowledge them.  
  
Which he did, by shrieking and falling backward out of the swing while trying to get away. Unfortunately his leg caught in the swing and wouldn't untangle in his panic. The thing that couldn't possibly be his grandfather quickly moved to his side moving to untangle his leg. Xander shrieked again jerking away as best he could hoping one of the police demons would hear and come help him.  
  
"Xander, Xander! Its alright, it's me." The thing that looked like Angel said trying to calm the flighty boy.  
  
"No, no, no! You're dead! They're all dead!" Xander cried as he gave us his struggles.  
  
Angel didn't feel this was the time to point out that indeed he was dead, he didn't think the boy mean dead as in undead anyway. "Xander look at me" he said in a soothing matter. "I'm not dead, dead I promise. I've been stuck in LA trying to find a way here."  
  
The boy eyed him skeptically "You left us- left me! Angel wouldn't to that if he was still alive!"  
  
"And I didn't leave you." Angel said firmly capturing the boys' face in his hands. "I'm here now, and you're going to have to trust I know what's best for you, because we have to leave the city now."  
  
Xander shook his head violently. "No! Can't leave now!" he pulled free of the swing and Angel standing a few paces away from him. "We've come so close we've almost got the way in, Riley-"  
  
"Riley?" Angel growled stepping closer to the boy taking a good whiff of the boys' scent. "What did he do to you?"  
  
Xander blinked in confusion. "Do to me? What do you mean what did he do to me? He's kept me a live all this time. If it weren't for him I'd be some demons play thing, or worse dead!" Angel eyed him; Xander suddenly knew what the vampire had meant. "Ewww! No way, like I said he kept me alive, but he never touched me."  
  
Angel nodded, "Fine, but your coming with me, its no longer safe here."  
  
Again Xander shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere with you, just because you look like him doesn't mean you are him. I have to go anyway before I'm missed." He turned to leave only to find himself facing the business end of a taser, the young man staring at him with cold eyes.  
  
"You are not going away were Xander." Angel said stepping behind him.  
  
"If you were the real Angel you wouldn't be doing this." Xander whispered not taking his eyes off the weapon.  
  
Angel snorted. "Of course I would" he said, "I'm your grandfather."  
  
"If you say so." Xander said knocked the weapon out of the young mans hand and ran.  
  
"No, I do think he and Mathew are at all alike." Angel said sarcastically to Doyle and gave chase.  
  
"Should we go after them?" Mathew asked cradling his injured wrist.  
  
"Do you think you can catch up with a vampire and a half vamp at full speed?" Doyle asked casually.  
  
"Never tried it." Mathew admitted. "But we need to do something."  
  
"Good point, common." Doyle said and ran after the fast retreated figures. Mathew muttered under his breath and followed at a slightly slower pace then the demons he was chasing.  
  
Angel chased Xander into a run down building. The door the boy went through was not a way into the building as he had though but down a small hall the lead into the underground were most of the lower demons lived. The demons there looked curiously at the boy running from the vampire, but move neither to help nor hinder nor aid. Behind him he could hear Doyle and Mathew catching up with him both breathing hard with the effort. In front of him Xander had stopped to pound on a door that wouldn't let him enter in his panicked state.  
  
"Riley! Malcolm! Someone! Help!" he yelling slamming his fist against the door to make as much noise as possible.  
  
"Xander." Angel said calmly stopping a few feet away from the boy, Doyle and Mathew right behind him.  
  
"No, stay away!" Xander pleaded pounding harder on the door.  
  
"Xan, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm trying to save you." Angel said still keeping his voice as calm as possible.  
  
"No, your not!" Xander yelled. "Your not Angel! Angel died twenty-nine years ago!"  
  
"Did they brain wash him or something?" Mathew asked Doyle quietly watching the trade.  
  
Doyle watched for a moment longer and shook his head. "I don't think so." He watched the boy's expression. "No I think he just gave up hope on any one else being alive, and now that he sees someone he is afraid to believe that it could be true."  
  
"Interesting." Mathew said.  
  
Suddenly the door was opened and a blond man grabbed Xander dragging him away from Angel and behind him. Angel stood his ground watching the blond with a challenge on his face half-shifting in and out of his demon face.  
  
"Angel." The blond finally acknowledged turning back to the boy in his care. "It's ok Xanny, it's really Angel."  
  
Xander just turned tail and ran deeper into the underground building.  
  
Riley smirked. "Well, I take it he didn't take you well."  
  
"He was simply ecstatic." Angel deadpanned.  
  
"Don't take it personally," Riley said. "He hasn't been the same since Spike was killed, he's too afraid to believe anyone else could still be around."  
  
"I understand." Angel said, and he did this disaster had taken a lot out of him as well.  
  
Riley turned to Doyle and Mathew. He nodded to Doyle as if expecting him and eyed Mathew for a moment before shaking his head. "Please come in all of you." He held up his hand a little. "As long as none of you have ill intentions."  
  
"Riley there are two vampires living here," Angel said in exasperation. "It's not like anyone here needs an invitation."  
  
Riley snorted. "On the contrary, there is a human living here. But if you have no ill intentions you make come in."  
  
Angel raised an eyebrow and the mention of a human, but entered the door way into the main room of the structure. He whistled in appreciation and surveyed how well they had been surviving; they had done pretty well for themselves. This place was even fit to house a human, hell, several humans in fact.  
  
Speaking of humans. Once the main door was closed a young man wearing simple jeans and a tee shirt walked down a small flight of steps a look of worry on his face. "Riley." He said not noticing the others yet. "What happened to Xander? He looks like he's seen a- err.."  
  
"It's alright Mal." Riley assured him. "Just some surprises at a very in opportune time"  
  
"Indeed." The young man said his British accent thick with uncertainty. "Well if you would like to know he's hiding under his bed and wont come out."  
  
"Thank you Mal." Riley said then nodded to Angel. "Why don't you show Xanny's grandfather to his room, they really need to talk, but stick around just incase."  
  
Malcolm nodded. "If you will just follow me."  
  
Angel nodded and followed the Brit. back up the stairs.  
  
Riley turned back to Doyle and Mathew. "I take it you didn't tell any of them our plan." He asked Doyle who shook his head.  
  
"What plan?" Mathew asked looked back and forth between the souled vampire and the half demon.  
  
"Graham makes fine looking children." Riley commented ignoring the question.  
  
"Doesn't he?" Doyle asked. "This one is genetically made. He and Forest for some reason can't mate with females. So Graham begged one of the researchers to find a way for him to have children, carried the boy to full term too."  
  
Riley acted surprised, while such a thing didn't surprise him in the least knowing Graham. "Who's the other father then?"  
  
Doyle grinned flinging an arm over the vampires shoulder. "Remember those samples the good Professor had you give to be frozen?"  
  
"Really?" Riley asked, no surprised. "I got a kid now huh?"  
  
Mathew paled. "Genetic.."  
  
Riley caught the boy before he hit the ground.  
  
***  
  
"Xander?" Malcolm asked kneeling down to look under the bed.  
  
"Are they gone?" Xander asked in a muffled voice as he had dragged several blankets down with him to hide under as well.  
  
"Your grandfather seems like a nice man." Malcolm commented with out answering the question. "And I do believe he is very much.undead.not a ghost."  
  
Xander simply sniffed in reply.  
  
Malcolm sat up and looked at Angel standing in the doorway. "He'll be under there for a while longer."  
  
"Dose he do this often?" Angel asked admiring the way the young man handled the other.  
  
"Well," Malcolm said in thought. "I've been here a year and he's done this about four times a month. Panic attacks you know, or nightmares."  
  
Angel nodded. "Not to sound heartless or anything, but I need him out very soon, in fact all of us have to leave soon."  
  
Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
Angel stated at the young man for a long moment and finally sighed. "In an hour and a half what remains of the US government is going to blow up this town."  
  
Malcolm blinked. "Blow up?" he asked, "Well I guess that cuts our schedule a little tight. Might I ask why they are doing this?"  
  
"Because they believe in doing so they will sent the time line right." Angel answered as if he didn't like it any better then Malcolm seemed too.  
  
"Oh." Malcolm said kneeling down again and then crawling under the bed with Xander. "Xander? We have to go get the Gem now."  
  
A sniff then Xander's head lifted from the folds of a blanket. "Why?"  
  
"Because the surviving government are idiots." Malcolm answered.  
  
"Did he go away?" Xander asked in a small voice.  
  
Malcolm shook his head. "No, Xanny, but your gonna have to be strong for me, can you do that?" Xander nodded a little wiping his eyes with a sleeve. "That a boy, common." He slid out from under the bed taking Xander with his least he lose his courage and take even longer to coax out again. The boy watched Angel nervously, Malcolm motioned the vampire not to speak, and as long as nothing was said Xander would be fine for a while.  
  
"What happened to him?" Malcolm asked as he lead Xander back into the foyer where the others were waiting.  
  
"Found out I'm a dad." Riley answered proudly. "Well a donor second dad. He didn't take the revelation to well."  
  
"I see." Malcolm said making Xander sit next to the unconscious young man. "Well I have a revelation as well. We need to get the Gem as of five minutes ago."  
  
Riley looked between Doyle and Angel. "What did they do?"  
  
"They are going to blow up Sunnydale, they think it will set the time like back to normal." Doyle answered.  
  
"Giles took them back to the old school to set up markers." Angel said.  
  
Xander whimpered moving to hide his head in Riley's shoulder. Angel looked at them apologetically.  
  
"Angel," Riley said slowly. "Giles died twenty-nine years ago. It one of the main causes of Xander's nightmares, watching him die."  
  
"The Powers needed him." Doyle said. "He didn't come out of the predicament unscathed, but he is indeed alive."  
  
Riley shook his head. "We go after the Gem now, you guys can come or go back, but we are going to the palace. Malcolm get our supplies, we have to go in the hard way."  
  
"On it," Malcolm said.  
  
"Xander doesn't look like he's fit to walk let alone help fight a head demon." Angel said inwardly wincing as the boy outwardly flinched at the sound of his voice.  
  
"Xanny's mental state half the time is the reason why Prador Saceros set the wards so only he or Xander could get in, he thought it would be a great joke since Buffy's body is perfectly preserved and hanging on the wall in his anti-chamber were the Gem will be. We tried to find other ways in, but we don't have time now. Xander will have to face his fears to save the world, I just hope that if this works he won't remember anything about this place."  
  
"Then we'll go with you." Mathew said with a groan as he sat up slowly. "If we go out, I wanna go out kicking as many asses as I can."  
  
"I don't think your father would like that." Riley pointed out to the young man.  
  
"My father, passes down his immortality to me." Mathew said. "Add that to my other fathers immortality, and yours as well, I doubt I have much to worry about."  
  
Riley had to count that equation several times in his head still getting an odd number. "Did you just add another person into that statement?" Riley asked confused.  
  
Mathew nodded. "Well, there is Graham, and Forest, and I guess now you."  
  
Riley shook his head. "I think I've gone cross-eyed."  
  
"It's ok, I was a bit surprised myself." Mathew answered. "Well about you, not them."  
  
"If you are immortal like Graham and Forest, what will happen if we set the time line right?" Angel asked.  
  
Mathew shrugged. "Well, it its still this date then a guess nothing. But if the date goes back I might regress, not by much tough, maybe to about seven or eight."  
  
"If we get the Gem the time like will go back to just before all this happened. The trick is to stop all of this from happening again." Riley said. "Its another reason why Xander needs to take the Gem, he is the only one that would know what happened that day."  
  
"I have everything we will need." Malcolm said running down the stairs carrying two packs in his hands. "I just hope this works, we only have one shot."  
  
"It'll work." Riley said taking one of the packs and strapping it to Xander's back.  
  
Malcolm looked at Xander in concern, "Is he up to this? I've never seen him in this state before."  
  
"I know." Riley said, "Just be ready."  
  
Malcolm nodded strapping the second pack onto his back.  
  
Riley nodded again picked Xander up and carried him to the door. "Ok, let's head out, we don't have much time left."  
  
Malcolm followed Riley and his burden out the door leaving the other three to follow. "Do we have a chance of this working?" Mathew asked the two older demons.  
  
Doyle shrugged. "Well its unlikely we will survive. Well you'll survive. And if this works it wont matter anyway cause none of this would have ever happened."  
  
"Then why would I still be a live?" Mathew asked confused.  
  
"Because more then likely you would have been born the same way you were in any time line." Angel answered.  
  
"I had to ask didn't I?" Mathew asked shaking his head.  
  
"Yes." Doyle answered. "Now lets go, I'm sick of this time line, lets try another one."  
  
"Sounds good to me." Angel said casually.  
  
"Are you guy's coming or not?" Riley asked in exasperation, "This isn't a picnic you know."  
  
"Oh, yeah right." The three agreed and followed. 


	5. Chapter Four

Interludes: Forgotten Past  
  
Chapter Four  
  
Sunnydale, California 2001  
  
Rupert Giles lay motionless in the tank of liquid the healers had put him several days ago. The plan had gone with out a hitch, well their plan anyway; Giles' method of death was so he wouldn't have to suffer at the hands of the demon lord. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately the Powers had Seen they would need him in the future, therefore spared his life.  
  
He could still see the child eyes of Xander as the demon surveyed the boy then threw him back into the vampires' arms. And Riley, who had vowed to protect Xander with his very unlife, did just that. He had skillfully convinced the demon Xander was no threat, allowed it to understand what Xander was then took him back into the crowed until he knew the demon lord would let him slip away. It was a tragedy that the boy had to see his friends and family slaughtered like that, Giles could only hope Xander would somehow retain his mind and his sanity. It was the least the Powers could do for the boy.  
  
In a few days the burns that covered his entire body would be fully healed until they were nothing more then faint scares to serve as a reminder of his mission. His mission. The mission to hide in the shadows and slowly feed the chosen few information that would help them in the fight and have the right people in the right place in time to change this future and make the one that should have been. Whether that future was better then this one was yet to be seen, and somehow didn't seem to matter.  
  
At that mattered now was the continual existence of Alexander Andrew Stone.  
  
***  
  
Sunnydale, California 2030  
  
"Giles?" Graham asked looking around in confusion. "Why are we here again?"  
  
"Because this is where we need to be at this time Mr. Miller." Giles answered knocking down the door to the long burnt out library door. Memory flashed into his head momentarily, but more importantly the memory if why the last life of his 'children' needed to be preserved at all costs. "All these memories Mr. Miller, such long memories of times I wish to forget and remember forever. Everything has a past Mr. Miller some things every carry the past with them even when remade and reborn."  
  
"Mr. Giles?" Graham asked glancing back at his men. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"That Mr. Miller." Giles said turning his scared face to the immortal. "I cannot allow you to destroy this place." A smoke started filling the closed off room. "Not while the most important creature on this planet dwells here. And not while we can change this future!"  
  
Around him his men started coughing, all except Forest whom seemed unaffected by the smoke. He turned sharply back to Giles. "What the hell do you think you are doing? You're going to kill them!"  
  
Giles grinned sinisterly. "Good." He said. "That means my boy will succeed." He coughed. "And when he succeeds none of this will ever happen."  
  
"Graham we have to get out of here." Forest said moving to knock down the door.  
  
"Not without my men!" Graham shouted back ignoring the old mans insane laughter.  
  
"Their dead." Forest said softly. "Common Grey the lest we can do is get Matt and get out of here."  
  
Graham glanced back at Giles who lay on the floor wheezing. "I hope he's still a live."  
  
"He is." Giles gasped, "Angel wanted the boy alive that's why he insisted the boy go with him. He's safe as long as he stays with my boy."  
  
"Who is his boy?" Forest asked. "He's said that like five times, I didn't know he had children."  
  
Graham kicked open the door dragging Forest behind him. "It's Xander." He said. "Out of all of them he was the most important. Riley told me once that Sam referred to him as the Link of Ages."  
  
"What's the link of ages?" Forest asked as they broke into a light jog not sure where to go next.  
  
"I'm not sure." Graham said. "But what ever it is it insured his life, and scares half the demons around him. Hell almost all of them go out of their way to make sure he stays safe."  
  
Forest stopped jogging and stood in front of his life long friend and father of his child. "You know what that means Grey. We're gonna be long lived and so are half the people we know. If they do in fact manage to get our past back you know we go back unchanged. You know it also means we have the threat of Professor Walsh again. If Xander is a revered and protected as everyone makes him out to be, then we need to make a pact right now. No matter what or how many lives we live we do our best to make sure Xan is protected even if that means we have to kidnap him for his own good."  
  
"Alright." Graham agreed. "But I want another pact. If Mathew survives this we do everything in our power to make sure he lives and is protected at all costs."  
  
Forest nodded. "Let's go find them then."  
  
***  
  
"Xan you have to wake up." Riley said quietly shaking the boy to get him to wake. "Dammit Xanny don't do this now!"  
  
"Can we carry him?" Malcolm asked worried.  
  
Riley shook his head. "Not by a vamp and a human, to the Prador this is considered harming him. Anyone carrying him will be killed on sight. We need to get him to walk in there."  
  
"We can't do that if he isn't even coherent enough to for a word let alone walk of his own volition." Angel growled. "We don't have time for this, if he isn't able to go in there soon we may as well evacuate and cut our losses."  
  
"That might not be a good idea" a voice said behind him. Angel turned only to have the owner of that voice punch him in the face. "You cost me the lives of my men, my family vampire!" Graham growled. "I should dust you, but I don't murder in front of my child. Which is why I suspect you make sure mine would be here and no with me humm?"  
  
"Grey." Forest said holding his friend back bit to keep him from dusting Angel anyway. "Where you listening to them?"  
  
"Yeah!" Graham snarled. "They're going to cut their losses and let those men die in vain!" Graham yelled.  
  
Riley moved in a blink covering Graham's mouth with his hand. "Grey as much as I'm glad to see you again, you continue yelling like that and I'll kill you, parental sharing or not."  
  
Graham and Forest snorted. "You could try, but you can't kill us." Forest said, "But please do keep your hand there, my ears hurt enough as it is." Graham glared.  
  
"Wait a second." Malcolm said waving his hands to get everyone's attention. "What do you mean he can try to kill you?"  
  
"They are Immortals." Mathew supplied, "Riley would be one if he had lived just a few more months."  
  
"You little hacker." Forest said, "Once this is all over you're grounded."  
  
Mathew shrugged eyes gleaming.  
  
"What would be the penalty for harming Xander?" Malcolm asked truly curious.  
  
"Saceros is favoring guns this month, standard bullets." Riley answered. The looked as Forest and Graham then back at Malcolm. "You know that might work."  
  
Graham rolled his eyes and Forest nodded in agreement.  
  
Mathew glanced back and forth between all of them not quiet catching what they all had in mind. "What could work?"  
  
***  
  
"My Lord, the vampire in charge of his Majesty is demanding entrance." A low class demon groveled as it trying to become one with the floor.  
  
Saceros frowned. "What dose he want?"  
  
"He caught two humans hurting the boy My Lord." The demon answered. "He demands justice."  
  
Saceros frowned. "Hurt?" he asked. "Bring him."  
  
"Yes my lord." The Demon said bowing out.  
  
Moments later the boy Vampire walked in with the young human pet behind him caring the Link of Ages in his arms. Behind them was another vampire, this one older, with the ropes of two tied up humans in his hands followed by a young boy that seemed to be that vampires pet.  
  
"My Lord." Riley bellowed. "These men have been found with he-who-you-have- deemed-un-harm able. As you can see they have indeed harmed him! I demand justice as it is my right to call it."  
  
"Bring the boy to me." Saceros said beckoning with a raised hand. The younger vampire's pet hesitated waiting for orders from his master like a well trained obedient pet would do. When Riley nodded to the young man he carried his Burdon forward allowing Saceros to take the boy before scurrying to hide behind his master again. The Demon Lord frowned at the unblinking open eyes of the boy. The child was plainly in shock, from what was yet to be seen. Yet he did know that this was trauma inflicted by someone other then Riley or his human.  
  
Saceros glared at the human prisoners. "Bring them." He said turned and carried the catatonic boy into his private hall. The very hall that he had made into a shrine for his reign and control of the boy fit to rule them all. He led them through the hall of his glory passing his latest acquisition until they reached another pride and joy of his. His regeneration chamber. Honestly, every Lord Demon should have one, it would keep the inner circle pure for ages, and of course it also would have kept him from where he was today if every demon had such a prize.  
  
Gently he laid the boy in the chamber lovingly smoothing the hair from his forehead before closing the device using its controls to put the boy in a healing sleep. "Now." He said turning back to the small group. "I think a few vendettas are in order." He casually pointed a small hand gun at the tied up humans and shot each cleanly in the head. He narrowed his eyes at the way the older vampires' boy flinched and hide behind his master as the bodies fell to the ground. In fact on closer look, the vampire looked familiar.  
  
And then he had the answer. A smile graced the Demon Lords lips. "I should have guessed, Angelus what a pleasant surprise. I didn't know you stooped so low as to have a human pet, but I must say you taste is impeccable.  
  
"Saceros." Angel acknowledged. "I always knew you'd be one to make a First Circle Lord."  
  
"Yes, I do know how to keep my place in this mad, mad world." Saceros drawled drawing closer to the vampire. "You know how it is. I must keep my Trump card alive and healthy or else the world just might end. You know that Grandson of yours is the only thing keeping this world together? This reality would not be possible if it hadn't been for that vamp that banged the human just too own up to a human child."  
  
"Yeah, guess he didn't read about that when he was holding human emotions and falling in love." Angel commented. "But I've always wondered; why not keep the boy for yourself? Surely he would be much better here in the palace then a lowly vampire. Or were you going for the fact that then the boy would be treated better then you?"  
  
Saceros snorted. "Hardly." He said stopping right in front of the vampire. "I occurred to me that one of my underlings might get it into their little brains that killing the Link of Ages would be a good idea. I on the other hand like this world so I intend to keep the boy alive." With one fluid movement he swung his arm around and flung a stake right into Riley's heart. The young vampire only had time to look surprised before he crumpled into dust. "However, that ones use has expired." He narrowed his eyes. "So has yours I'm afraid."  
  
He aimed his second hidden stake for Angel's heart only to be caught before hitting flesh. "I don't think so." The elder vampire snarled. "Malcolm now!"  
  
Saceros watched as the two remaining humans ran for the Gem of Kimera the brunette taking a device out of his bag that looked oddly like a charge. The Demon Lord growled lunging against Angel using his own dark power to throw the vampire halfway across the room. "Stupid humans!" he yelled raising the gun to shoot the dusted vampires pet. The blond jumped in front of the other human with a startled yell as the bullet impacted with his body, before falling to the floor limp and quiet. Saceros grinned at the unprotected human aiming the gun for one last fire.  
  
Suddenly one of the dead bodies lurched to its feel and tackled the Demon Lord with an angry yell. "That was my son you just shot!" the large black man shouted pounding his fits into the almighty Lord's face and kept pounding.  
  
"How much more time?" Malcolm shouted over Forest's screams of rage.  
  
"Four minutes." Graham answered crawling over to his son to check for any sign of life. "Oh thank God, he's still breathing.  
  
"Got it!" Malcolm said triumphantly lifting the glass case and grabbed the Gem before sprinting for the regeneration chamber.  
  
"Good." Angel said grabbing the young man and threw him into the device on top of Xander. "Make it work." He said and slammed the lid.  
  
"Make it work he says." Malcolm muttered turning the Gem over in his hands looking for some way to activate it.  
  
"Three minutes!" he heard shouted though muffled through the stone like substance.  
  
"I don't know how to bloody work this thing!" Malcolm said in frustration. He looked at Xander whose pale face was outlined by some internal glow. "Why did you have to be catatonic now?"  
  
"Two Minutes!" was shouted in warning telling Malcolm that he needed to work fast.  
  
He put the Gem in Xander's hands then tried to shake the boy away. "Come on Xander you must wake up! We don't have much time before we all die!"  
  
"One Minutes"  
  
Malcolm put his hands around Xander's holding the Gem tightly. "Work damn you!"  
  
"Thirty seconds!" was the final shout, Malcolm closed his eyes in frailer.  
  
Suddenly the hands in his own tense and a shallow but audible sound could be heard from the boy lips. "Year 2000, twenty minutes before Giles dropped the Orb of Portals."  
  
Seconds later Malcolm heard Graham shouting. "Here it comes!"  
  
Then he was engulfed in white.  
  
***  
  
Sunnydale, California 2000  
  
Giles picked up the dull yellow ball and examined it closely. Behind him he didn't notice the two disheveled figures silently entering the shop. He only noticed the ball suddenly flare, blinding him for a moment. The glowing ball slipped from nerveless fingers rushing toward the floor.  
  
And into a pair of strong hands attached to a young man wearing heavy sunglasses.  
  
Giles blinked as the young man quickly spread a pale powder over the balls surface. It winked once and grew dim, the dull yellow turning into a vibrant clear color.  
  
The young man smiled at the ex-Watcher. "Hi!" he said cheerfully offering the useless ball back.  
  
"Err."Hello." Giles said taking the ball back carefully.  
  
"Hey, G-man!" Xander chirped suddenly appearing next to the young man. "You know you should be really careful with the things you order."  
  
"Excuse me?" Giles asked blinking at the boy in front of him. He glanced at Sam then back at the two. "Xander must you call me that?"  
  
Xander smiled resting an elbow on the young man's shoulder, "I absolutely have to. It's an unwritten law that says I must call you G-Man."  
  
Giles groaned and rolled his eyes heaven ward. "Why me?" he asked the ceiling and walked away.  
  
"You know that was actually fun." Malcolm commented to his friend as the bell over the door chimed. Spike and Riley walked in talking about something Malcolm didn't quite understand. Next to him Xander tensed waiting for his father to spot him.  
  
Once the door was shut, per Giles' shout, Spike turned his head and spotted Malcolm and Xander. He stared at Malcolm for a moment confused then turned his gaze on his son and smiled. Xander moved away from his friend and walked up to the vampire almost afraid.  
  
Spike tensed slightly reacting to Xander's fear. The boy just stood in front of him for a second before enveloping the blond in a tight hug. Spike seemed startled at first then returned the embrace eagerly.  
  
"Missed you." Xander whispered.  
  
"Missed you too lov." Spike said back. "But you saw me this morning."  
  
Xander laughed a little hysterically pulled away to look his father in the eye. "It's been a really long day."  
  
***  
  
"So all I have to do is hold this and tell it the date and event, and then I'll be transported there?" Malcolm asked double checking to make sure he understood what was going to happen.  
  
"Exactly." Xander said cheerfully sitting cross-legged on his bed as Malcolm sat propped up by the head bored. "We can do it tomorrow," he looked a little hopeful. "Unless you wanna stay for a few days?"  
  
Malcolm looked at the young man that he had grown to think of as a best friend and smiled. "I don't see why not." He said. "It's not like I'm pressed for time or anything."  
  
Both men laughed.  
  
"Hey how come your jokes are better then mine?" Xander laughed still giggling whipping tears from his eyes.  
  
"Delivery." Spike said leaning against the door frame. "Well timing actually. It's just one of those gifts you're supposed to have but didn't inherit."  
  
Xander looked his father up and down. "From who? Mom?"  
  
Spike made a face walked into the room and pounced, pretending to jump wrestle style on his son and started tickling the boy in all of his most ticklish spots. Immediately the boy shrieked laughing madly under the attack trying to get away from the ruthless vampire.  
  
"Mal! Get away while you still can!" Xander gasped out between bouts of laughter. "He might go after you next!"  
  
Spike abruptly stopped keeping the boy pinned down as he turned his head to regard Malcolm as if truly contemplating that idea. Then looked back down at his son. "And what?" he asked. "Drink his blood and drain him dry?" he thought about that screwing his eyebrows together hard in thought. "Nah, tormenting you is so much more fun."  
  
"Not to mention it's your job to torment your children." Riley said leaning against the door frame much like Spike had been.  
  
Xander stuck out his tongue. "Your not helping Ri." He said as Spike stood, striating his clothing. "Ok. So maybe you are. What's up?"  
  
"We're hiding." Riley answered. "Sam let us in."  
  
"We?" Spike asked an eyebrow raised.  
  
Riley silently nodded waving to a point beyond the door. Forest and Graham appeared the latter carrying a child no older then two or three. Malcolm and Xander exchanged looks.  
  
"Who's the little one?" Spike asked confused. "I didn't know any of you had children."  
  
"Yeah," Graham said nervously refusing to meet Riley or Forest's eyes. "He's mine, literally."  
  
Spike nodded. "I see."  
  
"Professor Welsh finds out about him and there's no telling what she'll do to him." Riley said.  
  
"Why would that nut job learn about him?" Xander asked remembering her class before he dropped the class in disgust.  
  
The three young man exchanged looks, Riley nodded to them and turned back. "Because she isn't just a Professor." He said and told them about the Initiative.  
  
"You see our problem?" Graham asked the stunted room. "If she finds out about Mathew, she'll treat him just like a HST. And he isn't one we can just pretend to over look!"  
  
"Dad?" Xander asked quietly watching as Spike fought to keep from shifting into game face.  
  
"What do you take it?" the vampire growled eyeing Riley for the kill.  
  
Riley stood his ground. "If it's just a hunt we take in the ones we know are the bad guys. We've gotten good at spotting the ones who aren't here for survival and protection." He sighed shaking his head. "There have been some that we had to hunt, I don't know what Professor Welsh wants with them, but I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone."  
  
"Dad." Xander said putting a hand on the vampires shoulder. "We have to help."  
  
Spike took a deep breath. "Do you want to have access to the child?" he asked calmly.  
  
Graham nodded. "I'm going to retire. We all are. But we have to stop Welsh first."  
  
"Xan, go call Giles tell him I'm calling in my favor and need transportation to." he raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Safest place possible." Graham answered.  
  
Spike frowned. "Scratch that, use my cell phone, there should be a Charles Gunn in the listing. Call him. Tell him William is asking for his favor and needs to come here to retrieve something."  
  
"Ok." Xander said and vanished down the hall.  
  
Once he was gone Spike narrowed his eyes. "You're lucky I believe you and my son trusts you." He said coldly. "Or else all of you would be dead."  
  
"If you had blind faith I wouldn't have come to you." Riley answered. He glanced back at Graham. "May Grey and Mathew stay the night? At least two of us need to show up at the base tonight or Welsh will get suspicious."  
  
"I think Mrs. Dubest has a Cradle and extra baby cloths." Spike said and walked out of the bed room stopping in front of Graham first. "Betray me, betray my son I kill yours first. And don't think I wont, I'm not in the best of moods at the moment."  
  
"I understand." Graham said solemnly.  
  
"Good." Spike said then walking into the living room snagging the phone off its charger dialing the old mother demon's home number as he threw himself into his chair. "Mrs. Dubest, this is William. Sorry to bother you but I was wondering if you had a spare cradle and baby cloths lying around. I have a young man and his son here, you'd know the rest." He listened for a moment. "Great. I'll send Sam and another one of Xan's friends up to get it shortly. Good night mum."  
  
"I don't have to change dippers do it?" Sam asked sitting at the coffee table a text book and papers scattered around him. "Cause I have homework."  
  
Spike glared. "Take Malcolm, get what Mrs. Dubest has for you, be polite then finish your homework."  
  
"Got it." Sam said doing as told as quickly as possible.  
  
"Dad, that guy says he'll be here tomorrow afternoon." Xander said walking into the living room. He looked around. "Where'd Sam and Mal go?"  
  
"Running an errand." Spike said pleasantly. He looked at Riley and Forest. "You two should go before the dear old bat thinks something's wrong."  
  
"Yeah." Forest said uncertain.  
  
"I'll call you tomorrow Xanny." Riley said pushing his friend out the door.  
  
"Bye." Xander said closing the door behind them. He leaned against the heavy wood and smiled at his father. "You think they bought it?"  
  
Spike rolled his eyes. "They have no reason not to think we didn't already know." He answered winking at Graham who winked back. "Naughty boy betraying your friends like that."  
  
Graham shrugged setting the little boy on his feet. "I would trust them, well Forest at least, but they didn't carry a live for nine months." He said kneeling down to fix his son's hair. "And I know you'd understand better then anyone."  
  
"That I do." Spike said smile at his own son proudly. "That I do."  
  
***  
  
"So did you have fun?" Xander asked as the small group made their way into the cemetery that wasn't as scary as it was a year ago.  
  
"That I did." Malcolm said with a wide smile. "We'll do this again in a hundred and fifty years."  
  
"Sounds like fun." Xander said.  
  
"You are not going time traveling for kicks and that's final." Spike admonished with s smile on his face.  
  
"But Dad! I wanna time travel everyone else is doing it!" Xander whined mockingly earning laughs from the others.  
  
Spike shook his head in a fatherly manner. "No and that's final."  
  
Xander pouted. "You never let me have any fun."  
  
"You have it bad." Sam snorted truly irate. "He's making me go to high school, and do homework! It sucks man."  
  
Spike shook his head. "Children." He said. "Rupert help me out here, I feel like the only adult and that's a bad thing."  
  
"You will get no help from me you prat." Giles growled. "You broke me favorite tea cup last week.  
  
"Wont you guys shut up already?" Riley said. "I your making my head hurt."  
  
"That's what you get for drinking." Sam said. "Some of us aren't old enough to drink."  
  
"How old are you?" Riley asked.  
  
"Fifteen." Sam answered sullenly.  
  
Xander patted his friend on the back. "Enjoy your teen years while they last." He said then blinked at his words. "No wait my teen years sucked. Regress! Stay a child for as long as you can!"  
  
"Were here." Graham said suddenly in relief.  
  
"Thank god." Giles muttered. "I thought my ears would start bleeding."  
  
"Hey!" everyone replied.  
  
Malcolm rolled his eyes. He was going to miss this group, especially Xander and Riley. Truly he couldn't wait to see Trip and Captain Archer again as well as rest of the crew of Enterprise, but he couldn't help but feel he was leaving his family here. The only reason he didn't give into the temptation to stay for a few years was Graham and Spike assurance that both Riley and Xander would be alive still in Malcolm's time. So he wasn't really loosing a family, he would just have to get reacquainted with them again as soon as he could.  
  
"Well miss you Mal." Xander said giving his friend a tight hug before letting Riley do the same.  
  
"I'm going to miss you too." Malcolm said with a sad smile. "But well see each other again."  
  
"You can count on it." Xander said handing Malcolm the Gem of Kimera. "You take care now."  
  
Malcolm nodded. "Don't I always?" he asked recited his destination in his mind and vanished into the timescape. 


	6. Epilogue

Interludes: Forgotten Pasts  
  
Epilogue  
  
"Don't you think we should have found him by now?" Trip Tucker asked as he and Captain Archer walked through the desert like surface of the planet. "Do you think he found cover?"  
  
Archer glanced at his companion giving the man he considered his best friend. "Don't worry so much Trip. Malcolm will be just fine."  
  
"You bet I am Captain." A familiar English voice said from above them.  
  
Archer and Trip looked up to find Malcolm Reed sitting on the upper ledge of a small cliff. He smiled down at them while petting a wolf like creature sitting next to him like they were old friends.  
  
"Malcolm?" Archer asked uncertain of the Weapons officer's behavior.  
  
"Yes Captain?" Malcolm asked still petting the creature.  
  
"What are you doing?" Archer asked.  
  
Malcolm smiled the first true smile Archer and Trip had ever seen on him. "Enjoying the view, waiting for you two, and holding a conversation with Ethro here." He answered patting the creatures head.  
  
"Conversation?" Trip asked. "How?"  
  
"Telepath Commander," Malcolm answered with another smile. "It is how his race communicates. I must say he gave me quite a fright last night, all a misunderstanding mind you. He was very interested in Humans and offered to start negotiations to learn more about our culture."  
  
"Err." Archer started still a bit unbelieving.  
  
"That is." Malcolm continued "If Ethro wasn't the last of his kind. Now he just wishes to get off this planet. I'm sure Dr. Phlox would love to learn about him and Hoshi could learn about Telepaths communications."  
  
Archer and Trip stared at him blankly.  
  
"Err.he followed me home can I keep him?" Malcolm tried. When they continued to look at him blankly Malcolm tweaked the wolf's ear. :Hey no controlling their minds.: In his own head he felt more then heard an echo of laughter as the creature released the officers.  
  
: I'm sure you don't want them asking certain questions about where you've really been.: Ethro's voice floated into his mind. :Favor for Favor. They are unharmed I promise.:  
  
Malcolm didn't seem convinced but kept his mouth shut on that part. :What did you do then?:  
  
Another chuckle. :Oh, reminded them that I'm your pet wolf that Your Captain allowed to come with you both on the ship and to the surface.:  
  
:And how do you plan to get away with that with the rest of the crew? Some aren't so.Malleable.: Malcolm asked.  
  
"I'll tell you some time.: Was all the wolf would say.  
  
Malcolm rolled his eyes and Archer and Trip blinked back to life. "So?" he asked.  
  
"We should head back to Enterprise now." Archer said shaking his head, "I think this heat is giving me a head ache."  
  
"Yeah," Trip agreed.  
  
"Well I think I have everything I need." Malcolm said patting a side pocket for his most precious possession. He jumped off the ledge followed by Ethro waiting for Archer to make his command.  
  
"Alright." Archer nodded. "Let head back to the shuttle before another storm keeps us here any longer."  
  
Back on the ship, Malcolm was half afraid people would look at the wolf oddly, yet none of the crew, not even Phlox or T'Pol, gave the creature a passing glance. He was only vaguely surprised to find his Quarters equipped to house himself and a large animal.  
  
"Magick oh great- and -hairy -one?" he asked only getting a laugh in return.  
  
:If that's what you call it.: Ethro answered. :I assure you this is none of my doing.:  
  
"Great." Malcolm muttered throwing himself onto the bed. "I bet this is 'cause I helped change the past therefore my future."  
  
:Very likely.: Ethro agreed. He looked around the room. :But it looks like nothing ill has come of it.:  
  
"Maybe." Malcolm agreed noticing a picture and a few other items he didn't quite recognize. On his desk was a picture of him, Riley, Graham and Forest holding graduation plaques from Starfleet academy. Next to it was several other pictures of people he knew one hundred and fifty years ago. All the photos were recent; dating back to when he was a young man to just before he left on his mission with Enterprise.  
  
"Soto to Lieutenant Reed." His comm. chimed.  
  
Malcolm pressed the button to respond. "Reed here."  
  
"You have three messages waiting for you." Hoshi answered.  
  
Malcolm Frowned. "From who?"  
  
"Riley, William and Graham" Came the immediate reply. "Who else would write to you regularly then them?"  
  
"Forest?" Malcolm hazard.  
  
There was a pause, Malcolm was half afraid he said something wrong. "Oh, sorry you're right Lieutenant, He wrote too."  
  
Malcolm smiled shaking his head. "I'll retrieve them in a minute, thank you Ensign." He relieved the comm. button and looked back at Ethro. "Oh, I'd defiantly say for the better." Then he frowned. "But I wonder what happened to Xander."  
  
***  
  
"Xander dinners ready!" Sam called through the closed bed room door.  
  
"Be there in a minute!" Xander called back then turned to the newly appointed Angel standing in the middle of his room. "Thank you, Anyanka."  
  
The petite woman in while smiled at him. "Call me Anya now. And it was no problem. It was the least I could do after you helped me."  
  
"Anytime." Xander said with a smile, "And good luck."  
  
Anya smiled and winked out leaving the boy alone in his room. Xander smiled to himself, hoping the gift he sent his friend in the future was good enough to help him out with his new understanding of the universe. Until he saw Malcolm again that is, but even then the future held many possibilities.  
  
He shook his head bounding out of his room under the fuel of the last soda he had. Sam and Spike looked up at his entrance into the kitchen, but didn't comment on his hyper state. Until instead of sitting down to his dinner he continued standing bouncing on his feet in the middle of the kitchen.  
  
"Xander sit." Spike ordered. "Your dinners getting cold."  
  
"Can I go patrol with Buffy?" Xander asked still bouncing.  
  
Spike raised an eyebrow. "Can you sit still for three minutes?" he asked.  
  
"Err.no?" Xander said helpfully.  
  
Spike rolled his eyes. "Go."  
  
"Cool." Xander said bounced out of the room and out the door.  
  
"Can-" Sam started looking after Xander.  
  
"No," Spike said. "You have homework."  
  
"Aww man!" Sam whined.  
  
***  
  
"So," Whistler asked. "What do you think of the kid now?"  
  
"Impressive." The Being said watching the young man catch up with this friends as if he didn't remember thirty years of demons occupation. "I understand how why they call him the Link of Ages. How do we get him to work for us?"  
  
"We don't." another voice side behind them.  
  
The Balance Demon and the Higher Power turned to see the slim blond boy leaning against a tree a few feet away.  
  
"Why not?" Whistler asked.  
  
"Because the Powers That Be send a message." Sam said coldly. "Leave the boy be. He is to remain unharmed and un-harassed by anyone least you wish to be punished for eternity."  
  
"They have plans for him?" The Higher Power asked raising a glowing eyebrow.  
  
"The Oracles have ordered it." Sam answered. "They won't tell their reasons. And I wont either." With that he turned and vanished into the shadows again.  
  
The Higher Power turned back to where the boy and his friends patrolled a frown on Its face. "Watch the boy. If anyone try's to harm him, make sure they suffer."  
  
"Yes, you're Highness." Whistler said bowing his head slightly.  
  
The Being nodded satisfied and vanished in a spark of flames.  
  
***  
  
Some where in one of the various cemeteries Sunnydale housed a young man turned to search the surrounding area feeling something watching him. A moment later he shrugged it off as nothing turning back to what he did best.  
  
Pretend he didn't just save the world again.  
  
Stay Tuned for scenes from the next episode of Ordinary People:  
  
Memories Last 


	7. Next Time

Next time on Ordinary People.  
  
Xander's birthday rolls around leaving birthday jitters about his first year with Spike. Something stalks the students of UC Sunnydale and the scoobies are pretty sure it's not alive. Yet when Spike and Xander's lives are threatened, this it connected or is it something far more sinister?  
  
The following is a scene from:  
  
Memories Last  
  
Spike walked into the apartment only to find it covered in white. The cloth hung at least three feet off the ground giving the impression of a miniature camp from long ago. It reminded Spike of one of the childhood photos of Xander Willow had given him. One of a winter afternoon where they had built an indoor fort out of sheets and couch cushions.  
  
Yet Spike knew for a fact they didn't own enough sheets and cushions to make a fort this sturdy and this large.  
  
'So the boy's learnin' magick Willow can't, not much of a surprise there, even if Red is soo powerful.'  
  
Spike smiled a little shutting the door to stand in the only sheetless spot within the maze of while. The vampire cocked his head to the side, he could hear slight giggling, two rapid heartbeats, and labored breathing. He could smell the distinct smell of pheromones.  
  
How interesting.  
  
With a smirk Spike breathed a word and swept his hand over the white. The house-fort vanished in a shower of blue light proving indeed it was constructed of magick. In the middle of the living room were two people on the floor making out and getting hot and heavy about it. Spike raised an eyebrow.  
  
'Well there's something you don't see everyday.' 


End file.
